AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 16

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

SCEATCII COMPETITION

SYSTEM IN CHRISTCHURCH

Through tUo courtesy of Mr, J. K. Moloney, president of tho Canterbury Centre, Mr. 11. I. Austad placed before last night's mooting oi tho council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association a complete report of the system of the inter-club scratch competition since its inception'in Christchurch. Specimen scoring cards and sheets, and a specimen of the standard certificate awarded by tho centre in connection with the competitions, was also included. It was decided to circularise the report, etc., to the other centres.

Mr. Moloney reported that without I doubt scratch running with its rrequent . competition had been a brilliant success in Canterbury. It had to be remomberod, however, that the present generation of runners had grown' up with the idea and-had assimilated gradual changes. The system gave the second-class runner the opportunity of beating other runners off the scratch mark and that had the tendency of intensifying interest, and giving the individual the necessary incentive to carry on. From his observations in other centres he thought there were no insuperable obstacles in the way of establishing the inter-club system throughout New Zealand. The Wellington Centre had only toyed with, the idea by running scratch events at evening meetings. It had been found by experience in Canterbury that runners showed different form in handicap events from that displayed in the inter-club scratch competitions. Unless it be the matter of grounds, in his view there was nothing to hinder the schemo being as successful in Wellington as ftr Christchurch. Canterbury is the champion province of the Dominion, and in submitting the report, Mr. Austad said tho progress that had been made in Canterbury could bo attributed very: largely to scratch competition. OVERSEAS ATHLETES. Permission to invite a team of three or four Victorian athletes to tour tho Auckland Province for a fortnight towards the end of next was sought by the Auckland Centre. The council' decided to defer consideration of the request until further advice is received from Australia as to the prospects of some of the athletes it is proposed to bring from England and America for tho centenary celebrations in Melbourne being .able to come to New Zealand as well. Tho. Auckland proposal is for appearances of a Victorian team at Auckland, Cambridge, Kotorua, and Whangarei. In reply to a request, Mr. H. B. Weir, secretary of the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia, wrote stating that with the cognisance of tho Victorian AA.A., which was responsible for tho conduct of the proposed tour of international athletes to Australia, ho would have pleasure in -advising tho governing bodies of Groat Britain and tho United States that tho N.Z.A.A.A. was desirous of the tour of some of tho athletes being extended to include New Zealand. Tho authorities in Great Britain and America would also bo asked to authorise such an extension if tho negotiations betwoen tho N.Z.A.A.A. and tho Victorian A.A.A. were sucefcssful. l PBOFIT ON ATHLETES' TOUK. Statements haying como to hand since the July meeting covering the meetings held at Marton and Kotorua, which previously wero outstanding, Mr. L. A. Tracy, the secretary-treasurer, was in the position of being able to submit tho audited balance-sheet for tho tour of tho three Australian athletes in New Zealand last season. The net profit was shown as £332 15s, and this, on a pro rata basis, has been allocated to the different centres as follows:—Auckland, £137 3s lOd; West Coast (North Island), £51 2s lid; Wollington, £98 13s 8d; Canterbury, £24 Is 4d; Otago, £21 13s 3d. Consideration was given by the.council to tho application of tho Taranaki sub-centre for the formation of a centre for Taranaki. It was decided to reply that while on the evidence beforo tho council thero did not appear to be much prospect of a separate centre for Taranaki being formed, tho council would be prepared to receive a deputation on the subject. • THE NEXT MABATHON. The Auckland Centre asked whether tho council' intendeji making the next marathon a New Zealand championship event. The letter was held over.for further consideration.